The Sword's Shadow
by Cbeth309
Summary: This is a Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess fan fiction 10 years after everything has happened.
1. Prologue

Ten years later...

It's been ten years since everything happened and all of the excitement is over. My life went from normal village boy to hero back to normal village dweller.

I thought I would be happy going back to a normal average life but I'm starting to think not. Of course things did change when I came back home but not as much as I was expecting... I guess I should've known.

I'm married now and have a seven year old son with my wife. His name is Leif, he's a spitting image of his mother, blond hair, blue eyes, a little short for his age. He has my untamed bed head and fierce, courageous eyes though. .

I married my childhood friend, Ilia. She and I became increasingly close when I came back and got married a year later. I do love her but we never had that wild, burning passion that so many other couples have. Sometimes I feel like we're brother and sister rather than husband and wife. She still scolds me like a child when I do something wrong and tends to my horse when she is upset.

On the subject of my horse, the poor thing is starting to show her age. Epona has started to slow down recently. She's not the same fast and wild steed she used to be. Still loyal as ever but arthritis has started to take place and I can't push her as hard as I did before. When I herd the goats with Fado, my best friend, I have to pace her and jumping fences is definitely out of the question. Sometimes I wonder if I should put her out of her misery and get another younger horse, but it would break Ilia and Leif's heart. They both have a special bond with her.

As for Ordon, I was given the position of chief at the age of 18, I was more than happy to take the position without realizing now I'm bound to this town. Being chief is much like being an average villager, my main role is to maintain peace in the town, and supervise orders. I don't have a lot of outstanding power in such a small town.

My life sounds ideal to most people, but I want something else, something exciting. When you go on the adventure of your lifetime you don't want to come back to simplicity. Sometimes I wish I could go back to being 17 when the most exciting time of my life had begun.


	2. Chapter 1

The day started like every other, I get up around four in the morning, make a little something to eat, and kiss Ilia and Leif goodbye, while they are in blissful sleep. I walk outside, it's still dark out and a bit chilly. I lead Epona down to the ranch to let the goats out to graze. Today's Fado's day off, so I'll be running the ranch by myself till 5 when I'm going to town to deliver some of our products. Today is just another one of those boring days where time stands still.

At around four I put the goats back in the barn and prepare for my trip. I grab the supplies and load Epona up. Right as I am about to pass my house Leif runs up to me with an excited look in his eyes. "Dad, dad!" He exclaims. " I just saw a goblin when I was at the goddess spring, can I go after it?" Those damn goblins get braver and braver all the time and try to invade the village. They cause me more trouble being a nuisance rather than an enemy. Leif is still too young to use a real sword and only knows the basic sword techniques that I taught him. As much as I would love for him to exterminate those vermin he's much too small and the goblins would most likely capture him for supper. "You're too young right now to fight real enemies, keep practicing what I taught you on a dummy and a few years I'll let you go after them." I explain. "But dad, dummies won't fight back. How will I ever get better if I practice on a doll?" He pouts. "Leif knowing the basics of sword fighting can save your life. A sword is not a toy and you are not ready for the real enemies yet." I say sternly. "Awe but dad..." "Leif I'm serious until you except that a sword isn't a game, I won't let you into the woods." I say, cutting him off. Leif gives me a disappointed look and nods his head before he walks over to a dummy to practice. Just like his mother he's as stubborn as can be.

After my little setback with Leif I continue on my way to Castle Town to deliver the shipments. They were fairly easy deliveries and I got done pretty quickly. I look up at the great Hyrule castle, such beauty and mystery still surrounds it after all of these years. I wonder what Zelda is doing? I remember after everything started to settle down, Zelda herself invited me to join the Hylian knights. She not only wanted me to join but to be captain of the Hylian knights. I was honored truly, but at the time I just wanted to settle back into a normal life. Sometimes I wonder where I would be now if I would've joined the knights. It's getting late I should start heading home.

When I reach the woods I start to get an uneasy feeling. I feel like something is wrong, I rush to Ordon. Right as I reach my house Ilia bursts through the door with a panicked look on her face. "What's wrong? What happened?" I ask with worry. "Leif took off into the forest!" She cried. "What?!" I shout. Damn he's probably going after those goblins he saw earlier. I hurry back into the forest looking every which way trying to find Leif. Please, please be alright. "Leif!" I shout right as Epona stops in front of the entrance to Faron woods. Epona is still able to sense monsters and wants nothing to do with them. I climb off of her and my heart sinks into my stomach. The grass in front of the entrance is splattered with blood. Panic starts to sink in. "Leif!" I shout "Leif, please answer me!" I frantically run into Faron woods looking for my son. Right as I pass the old ruins something catches my eye. A necklace with a horse pendant lies on the ground. It's Leif's, he was here, I know I'm close. Finally I see him right in front of the old temple that the monkeys hang around. Leif is trapped in a wooden cage, he's still alive. A wave of relief washes over me, until I realize he's still in danger. In front of Leif's cage is a giant fire and three goblins. The goblins are surrounding Leif's cage and it looks like they're about to lift his cage up and roast him over the fire. I know I won't make it over there in time but I have to move quickly. I lift my hand up to my mouth and whistle as loudly as I can, hoping this works. The three goblins stop what they're doing and look over towards me. I run out into the open withdrawing my sword. The goblins run at me, I take all three out with one sideways slash with my sword. Their bodies swell up and burst into ash, stupid and easy as ever. I put my sword away and walk over to Leif. He's covering his eyes, crying, and shaking. "Please don't eat me monsters, I don't taste good. My dad will make you sorry if you do eat me." He whimpers. Leif missed everything by covering his eyes and now thinks I'm a goblin that came back to eat him. "Well I know your father and he's not someone to take lightly." I say teasingly. Leif lifts his head and looks at me. "Dad!" He cries out tears dripping off his cheeks. I snap the cage apart and release Leif to his freedom. He runs into my arms burying his face in my chest. I sigh and pull him off of me. I look him over, a few bruises and scratches here and there, nothing too serious. The worst scratch on his arm which must be where the blood on the grass came from. I carry him to Faron's spring to clean him up.

"Now what did I say about going into the woods?" I say sternly. "I know, I know, I thought I could've taken them out but instead of one goblin there was three. If there was only one I know I would have been successful." He claims. I let out a sigh, the kid has guts, that's for sure. "Still I told you not to go into the forest and you disobeyed me." I said. Leif hangs his head. "I'm in trouble, aren't I?" "Yes, you're grounded and will be working on the ranch for a few weeks." I explain. "But da..." Leif stops himself before he gets in more trouble. "Yes sir." he mumbles. I look up at the sky the moon is out. "It's getting late we should head home, your mother must be worried sick." I say. Leif nods his head and climbs on Epona's back, I get on behind him and we ride back to Ordon.

Ilia is standing by the goddess spring waiting for our return. Her eyes light up when she sees Leif, Epona, and me all in one piece. "Leif!" She cries out tears in her eyes. "Mom!" Leif exclaims. "Thank goodness, you're safe." She says as she embraces him and carries him into our house. I get off Epona, who wonders to the goddess spring to rest. When I enter my house Ilia greets me with a kiss. "Thank goodness you're safe too." She says happily. I smile and ask "where's Leif?" "He was exhausted, so I put him to bed." She explains. "Link, you look fairly tired yourself, why don't you go get some rest." She said. I have to agree with her today turned out to be more tiring than I planned it to be. "I think I will, goodnight Ilia." I say. "Goodnight my love." She sighs and kisses me. Tomorrow is my day off, maybe after all of Leif's chores are done, I'll see if he wants to practice with his sword techniques.


End file.
